


The Mummy

by queenofcats



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, American Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Female Hange Zoë, M/M, Slow Burn, The Mummy AU, egyptian hange, egyptian mike, english erwin, the mummy returns au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2018-12-27 16:23:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12084771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofcats/pseuds/queenofcats
Summary: She bounds over to him, brown eyes gleaming."Oh, it's a puzzle box! Give it to me!"He hands it over, and she immediately presses all the parts of the box, trying to open it.The top face of the box has a scarab beetle decoration, it's plated with some precious metal. She presses it hard enough to make the box click, and it opens, each side flicking out a sharp triangle of metal."It looks like a star. I wonder if you can put it in something, like a key, maybe?" Hange questions. She removes the lid, and sees a folded bit of paper inside."Oh, a love letter!" she teases, grinning up at Erwin. "I'll leave you to open it. Perhaps Marie has finally decided against marrying Nile.""Hange... You know very well that I'm not interested in romantic affairs." Erwin says, softly."Yes, dear brother. Just as I am not interested in science and facts."





	1. Chapter 1

There's sand everywhere he looks.

Not just the dunes around him, his footprints sunk deep into the dust, and not just the cliffs he sees in the distance, black specks dotted across the top like ornaments on a mantelpiece.

He feels sand in his brain, clouding up his thoughts, sand in his chest and lungs and veins.

The map in his pocket is all he has, aside from the clothes on his back, and he pulls it out. His route is clear, he must make it to the foot of the cliffs.

Whether or not he'll survive the journey is a different matter.

\--

"Have you ever considered that perhaps Hatshepsut wasn't a... a sexual invert, she was simply a woman who wanted her statues to look more masculine so as to be taken more seriously by her subjects?"

"Erwin, if I hear one more of your strange theories, I'm going to demote you to working in the back, so I never have to listen to you again." Nile replies, dryly.

He sits at his desk, languidly tapping his pen against one of the recently unearthed artefacts that the library had bought.

"Please-- Please don't do that, Nile. It could be more precious than we know." Erwin says, of the potential damage to the small box.

Nile rolls his eyes, before standing up with a sigh. "Go see Hange. I'm sure she's destroying something somewhere."

He leaves the room, allowing Erwin to pocket the box. He'd rather not see Nile destroy it.

  
The library isn't just a place for books on Egyptian antiquity. It's also a place where important objects and pictures are bought and stored, to be sold on to the British Museum in London. Hange works in the back, where those things are cleaned and sorted.

Erwin feels as though Hange is his sister, albeit a much younger, more reckless sister.

However, she's also always eager to accompany him on his ambitious trips around Egypt, as he attempts to find Hamunaptra, just as his father did before him. So as much as Nile dislikes having her around, Erwin is rather happy with her presence.

"Good morning, Hange. What do you have today?" Erwin calls. The room seems to sway as the lights flicker, goodness knows why Hange insists on working in the dark.

"Oh, not much. Just a small statue of King Tut." she replies, bobbing up from behind a large sarcophagus.

The statue in her hands is plated in various metals and it shimmers wonderfully in the dim light. "Don't you think he's simply darling?"

"I think you need to look at something else for a change, Hange." Erwin smiles, before presenting the box he'd lifted from Nile's office. "What do you make of this?"

She bounds over to him, brown eyes gleaming.

"Oh, it's a puzzle box! Give it to me!"

He hands it over, and she immediately presses all the parts of the box, trying to open it.

The top face of the box has a scarab beetle decoration, it's plated with some precious metal. She presses it hard enough to make the box click, and it opens, each side flicking out a sharp triangle of metal.

"It looks like a star. I wonder if you can put it in something, like a key, maybe?" Hange questions. She removes the lid, and sees a folded bit of paper inside.

"Oh, a love letter!" she teases, grinning up at Erwin. "I'll leave you to open it. Perhaps Marie has finally decided against marrying Nile."

"Hange... You know very well that I'm not interested in romantic affairs." Erwin says, softly.

"Yes, dear brother. Just as I am not interested in science and facts."

  
The rest of the day passes slowly. Now Erwin knows how to open the puzzle box, he's decided to wait til he returns home to open the paper inside. Hange might be right, it could be a love letter of sorts, perhaps from an ancient pharaoh to one of his wives, or a poem between those engaged in some sort of illicit affair.

As he enters the large apartment complex, one built specifically for British nationals, he notices a small man in the lobby, huddled in scarves and a galibaya that's usually reserved for Egyptians. However, Erwin notices that his skin is too pale, his eyes too light.

He speaks to the clerk at the desk, in hushed tones.

"Excuse me, but do you know what that man is doing over there? He seems a little suspicious."

She nods, black eyes shifting towards the bundle of fabric in the corner. "He is... He is a crazy man. Early today, he came, and spoke of seeing things that are impossible. Ignore him, please, sir."

Erwin trusts her, since she doesn't seem to mind his own eccentric ways, but there's something about the man that seems odd.

And not in the way the clerk seems to think.

  
He slowly heads up to his apartment, a small, plain room with just enough to be comfortable.

This has been his home since childhood, rather, Egypt has. His father had moved here in search of knowledge pertaining to Hamunaptra, the city of the dead. However, he'd met and fallen in love with an Egyptian lady named Ana. His father often spoke of how she was named for the sun, rather accurately, as she glowed even in sadness.

Unfortunately, Erwin's birth had been fraught with complications, and he'd never met the woman his father spoke so lovingly about.

However, that had been why he'd taken his father's mission to heart, having no other influences to stop him.

Even now it's often all he can think of. He's certain he'd be able to die happy once he's uncovered the mystery of the city of the dead.

  
Erwin undresses, eyes heavy from a long day at work, before reclining in his bed - the box in his hand.

"I wonder if Hange knows what you're made of..." he says, almost sleepily to it, eyes hovering over the scarab beetle.

Within moments, his eyes are closed and he's fallen deep into a dreamless sleep.

  
He's woken by the lack of pressure in his palm, jolting awake with the assumption he's dropped the box.

As Erwin scans the bed, he realises it's gone.

It must have been that man, the one in the lobby.

\--

"Hange, I need your assistance. And I would very much appreciate it if you could bring along something to restrain a thief." he says, the black plastic of the phone pressed against his ear.

"Of course." she replies cheerfully. "What's been stolen?"

"The box."

Hange laughs, before telling Erwin she'll be over quickly.

  
She arrives, looking like she's dressed for a chase. Wide legged trousers and practical shoes, along with a small bag containing a pair of handcuffs. Erwin never questions where   
Hange finds that sort of thing, as he's sure he'd rather not know.

"Do you have any idea of--"

"Yes. There was a man in the lobby, he was small and pale, with grey eyes. And he was dressed like a local." Erwin interrupts. "If Nile realises his box is missing, and we don't have it back before then, he's going to be very unhappy. He might even fire me."

"Dearest, rest assured we will find the man and steal back your stolen box." Hange beams, before starting out the door. "I know exactly who to ask."

\--

Mike is a man who Erwin respects a great deal, even if most British people in Egypt treat the locals like a second class.

He is what they call an information broker, willing to exchange the things he sees and hears from a variety of sources for a small price. In Erwin's case, it's usually just a beer between friends.

"You wanted me to find a small, pale man, correct?" Mike asks, as they take their places at the bar in the apartment complex.

"Yes. He stole something very valuable to me, and I'd like to have it back." Erwin says.

"It's a love letter." Hange jokes, and Mike sniffs a laugh.

Erwin is unimpressed. "So, Mike, what can you tell me?"

"I believe I've found the man you speak of. His name is Levi, and he is currently being held in a prison not far from here. He arrived in Cairo a few days ago, having apparently been to Ha--"

"Hamunaptra?" Erwin interrupts, excitedly.

"Yes, Hamunaptra. He was arrested on account of his own safety - it's not good for men to walk around speaking of such madness." Mike says pointedly, knowing full well that Erwin believes wholeheartedly in its existence.

"Thank you very much for your time, Mike." Erwin says, setting money down on the bar for him. "But I'm afraid we'll have leave now, we have a man to meet."

\--

The prison smells, as all do regardless of the country they are in.

Men in small cells, their rights restricted and their hygiene reduced to nothing. No wonder those in prison are disillusioned with authority, if they are treated as such in a place that is supposed to do them good.

Hange leads the way to the front of the prison, where a small cubby hole serves as the front desk.

"Hello, and good evening to you, sir! We're here to collect our son." she says, chirpily.

"His name?" the man says, his portly body filling the small hole.

"Levi." Erwin says.

"He's in solitary confinement at the moment." is the reply. There's a moment of silence, and then... "But if you are prepared to pay, we will release him."

"Of course. How much?" Erwin smiles pleasantly, certain that he will be able to pay the price.

"£300." the man says.

"£200." Erwin says. His aim is to haggle as low as possible, because there is no way he's paying over £100 to secure the freedom of a man who stole from him.

"£250."

"£150." Erwin replies.

"£100, and that's my final offer." the man says, shaking hands with Erwin before realising his mistake.

"We shook on it, you can't back out." Erwin reminds him with a charming smile.

He hands over the money, before the man, Dimo - his badge says,begrudgingly leads them towards the cells.

Each cell holds two men, except for Levi's. He is on his own, and huddled in the corner like a child.

Perhaps Erwin was wrong, perhaps this isn't the man that stole from him. He can't be older than his late teens, both his stature and youthful features tell Erwin that.

"Levi, your parents are here to pick you up." Dimo says, gesturing for two of the guards to go in and take him out.

Levi eyes both Erwin and Hange suspiciously, before standing for the guards.

Erwin is becoming more and more certain of his mistake, until Levi is lead out and smirks at him.

He pushes something into Erwin's trouser pocket. "For you, papa." he says, some sort of anger clear in his eyes.

  
Once they're out of the prison, Erwin's hand holding tight onto Levi's arm so he can't escape, Hange cuffs them together.

"My apologies, young man. I simply don't trust you after you took my box." Erwin says, smiling charmingly.

"I'm not a young man, and I gave your box back." Levi spits, refusing to look at either of them.

Erwin puts his hand into the pocket of his trousers, and sure enough, the box is there. He hands it to Hange, who presses it open.

"You took the letter!" she frowns, immediately shooting forward to pat Levi down, in an attempt to find it.

"It's not a letter, and you won't find it in any of my pockets." Levi says.

"If it isn't a letter, then what is it?" Erwin asks.

Levi smirks again. "It's a map."

"To Hamunaptra." Erwin continues, before dipping his hand into the front of Levi's shirt. The map is pressed close to his chest, just as he'd thought.

"You're going to accompany us to Hamunaptra, given as you claim to have been there before. Call it compensation for the money I spent at the prison on you."

Levi spits at Erwin's feet. "You bought me, that's what you're saying, isn't it? In case you can't tell, I'm not some slave you can force to do whatever. I was fighting before you could walk."

"I highly doubt that. I'm at least twice your age." Erwin says, on the assumption that Levi is in his late teens.

"I'm 30." Levi says. The dark hair on his chest does support that, along with the near invisible lines that frame his silver eyes.

"I see. Well, forgive me. You seem a little younger than that." Erwin says. On second glance, Erwin realises Levi isn't so broad from the amount of fabric that drowns his small frame, it's muscle.

"You said you fought, fought in what?" Hange asks, curiously. She begins walking, leading them both back towards the apartment complex.

"I was with the French Foreign Legion. I got separated from the group I was with, found a box in one of my bags and popped it open. I followed the map across the desert, towards probable death and into Hamunaptra. Believe me, pretty boy," Levi says, addressing Erwin at this point. "You don't want to go there."

"Levi, you don't know just how desperate Erwin is to go there. You could perhaps call it his life's mission." Hange interrupts. "He's obsessed."

Levi simply laughs at him, almost cruelly.

  
"We'll have to buy you some new clothes." Erwin says, after Levi has washed himself, and cut his hair.

Once he'd undressed out of all of his sand covered rags, Erwin had noticed just how poorly Levi must have been treated in that prison.

Bruises cover his arms and legs, although judging by the thick muscle that bulks him out, Levi must have given as good as he got. His hair was shoulder length and covered in sand and grease and blood. The slight stubble that had peaked out from under his scarves was revealed to be more than just that, in fact it was a small beard that looked very out of place on such a delicate face.

"No. Unless you wanna die out there, I suggest you buy some new clothes." Levi replies, gesturing to the shirts and trousers that Erwin is packing into a trunk.

Now Levi looks clean and neat, his hair cropped and the nape of his neck shaved into an undercut. His facial hair is gone, and now his age is actually more apparent. There's something rugged about his face, even though at a distance it looks almost childish. It's hard to understand, and Erwin isn't sure whether it's inappropriate to think of Levi as being handsome.

"Boys, just agree to disagree. Let Levi keep his clothes, and let Erwin keep his." Hange calls, stuffing her own clothes haphazardly into her case.

Levi rolls his eyes, sitting with his legs crossed atop Erwin's bed. "We'll have to go to the market though, you're right about that. I'm not wearing this forever." he says, referring to the oversized shirt Erwin had given him, and the long trousers from Hange.

"Of course. Do you have any money? I am more than happy to pay for your clothes, of course, I simply don't want you to think I'm buying you again." Erwin says, almost softly.

Levi shakes his head. "I have no money whatsoever. When we get to Hamunaptra, and you're killed by whatever's out there, I can steal all of yours. So go ahead, pay for my clothes."

Erwin doesn't doubt that he would do that.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Perhaps you should just focus on what we've got to do in the next couple of days." Erwin says, hoping that giving Levi a task to do will stop him from destroying anything. "I mean, even if you just do nothing but avoid... situations that might make you angry--"
> 
> "I can control my temper. Mostly." Levi admits. He sighs, before looking up at Erwin. "Look, you don't need to look after me. I know you think I'm some sort of delicate child that you need to protect, but I'm older than you, and I've been through a hell of a lot more. You can just... relax. Go read a book, square."  
> And then, there it is - not a smirk, but a genuine smile. It's small, of course, just his lips turned slightly up at the corners, but his eyes sparkle, and Erwin feels himself becoming strangely warm.
> 
> He smiles back, and leaves him to his work.
> 
> Perhaps the boat trip won't be so bad at all.

Nothing that Levi had seen had been deemed appropriate nor up to his ridiculously high standards, so he'd made do with buying a few plain shirts and trousers, along with sturdy shoes and a wide brimmed hat.

Erwin definitely thinks Levi looks rather handsome in those clothes, though perhaps he could do without the scowl that he greets them with, as they meet to board the boat that will take them down to Thebes.

"I sincerely hope you had the sense to pay for three rooms." Levi says, taking both his own and Hange's trunks.

Erwin stays silent, a little guilty because the rooms on board the boat are expensive, and he personally has no issue with staying in a room with another man.

"I can room with you!" Hange calls after him, but there's only silence in response.

  
The rooms themselves are smaller than Erwin imagined, a bunk bed in the corner and a wardrobe, small dressing table, and chest of drawers along the other side of the room. In the centre is another table, but this has a pair of chairs with it, and it's apparently for meal times.

Erwin is not convinced that the money he spent on the room was worth it.

He doesn't bother unpacking his things, mostly because the boat ride is going to be a maximum of three days, and he would rather keep his things safe on the off chance something goes wrong. The fact that they have a map to the city of the dead makes him feel slightly paranoid that they're cursed or at least destined to be somewhat unlucky on their travels.

Levi doesn't seem particularly comfortable in the room either, keeping his things together as well. They sit at the table in silence for a few moments, before Levi frowns at him.

"Stop doing that."

"Doing what?" Erwin asks, genuinely curious.

"That face. It makes you look like you're about to shit yourself." Levi seems to be joking, sort of, so Erwin doesn't take it to heart.

Mainly because he's not sure how he would handle it if he accepted that it might be the case that Levi truly doesn't like him.

"Oh, I see. I'll try to stop, but I'm not sure I can make any promises. I was thinking, you see."

Levi smirks. "Isn't that a little dangerous?"

Erwin barks out a nervous laugh. "Perhaps, yes. Anyway, I was thinking about what to do when we get to Hamunaptra. Ideally, I'd like to set up a sort of informal dig, and see what new information we can uncover about the Egyptians that worked there."

It's clear that Levi isn't interested in what Erwin plans on doing, so he opts for another way to push the conversation.

"What do you plan on doing while we're there?" he says, softly. Levi looks almost pretty in the candlelight, and Erwin finds himself, just for a second, wishing that the roguish man in front of him was actually a woman. At least then his attraction to him would be normal, and he'd be able to be open about it.

Levi shrugs. "I'll probably be quite busy defending you from the... creatures there."

"Yes, yes, you mentioned before that I wouldn't want to go to Hamunaptra... And now you're telling me about creatures there." Erwin says, before pausing. "What exactly happened there?"

Immediately, Levi's expression changes. He stands up slowly, before slamming his hands onto the table. "Look, Smith, you might be twice my height and twice my weight, but I promise you this - no matter what fucked up nightmares are out there, you have nothing to worry about as long as I'm with you. Now, I don't wanna talk about it again."

He storms out, leaving Erwin feeling slightly confused, slightly aroused.

  
"Oh, good evening Levi! Did Erwin kick you out?" Hange asks, from her seat on one of the outside tables. She's with a group of men that seem to be quite happy playing poker with a woman - probably underestimating her skill.

"No." He barely looks over at her, instead, he sits next to the edge of the boat, where he sets to work reloading his various guns.

He hears some mumbling from the group with Hange, and then her grating voice again.

"Levi, is it true? Were you in the military with this guy?"

He looks up and immediately sees who she means.

Eren.

  
Erwin decides he should probably follow after Levi - he doesn't want him to go to bed angry. He can apologise, bore him a bit with his knowledge, and hopefully make him smirk a little more.

He walks about the boat a little, it is rather lovely and he thinks he might have to take more cruises after this whole thing is over. Eventually, he finds his way out to the side of the boat and sees Hange looking rather nervously laughing at something. As he turns round the corner, he sees Levi with his hand around the neck of an angry looking man.

"If I ever see you again, I'm gonna fucking kill you, Eren." Levi spits.

The man, Eren, looks rather scared. Erwin thinks that's understandable, considering Levi is like a very small, very vicious dog.

He decides to intervene.

"Um, hello? Excuse me, Levi? Has this man been bothering you?" he asks, and Levi looks at him with barely disguised contempt.

"No." he grunts, releasing the other man. "Fucking traitor."

Levi takes his place back on his table, brow furrowed as he concentrates on reloading his guns again.

Erwin gives an apologetic look to the man who still seems a little scared, before following Levi to his table.

"You can't just assault strangers when you feel like it." he says, quietly.

"He's not a stranger." Levi replies, silvery eyes locked on his gun. "I served with him. And he's the reason I got separated from the others. He gave me the wrong directions, on purpose. I knew I couldn't trust him. Stupid bastard..."

Erwin thinks there's no point in arguing. He wasn't there, and he can't tell Levi that maybe the man didn't give him the wrong directions on purpose, because he doesn't know that for sure.

"Perhaps you should just focus on what we've got to do in the next couple of days." Erwin says, hoping that giving Levi a task to do will stop him from destroying anything. "I mean, even if you just do nothing but avoid... situations that might make you angry--"

"I can control my temper. Mostly." Levi admits. He sighs, before looking up at Erwin. "Look, you don't need to look after me. I know you think I'm some sort of delicate child that you need to protect, but I'm older than you, and I've been through a hell of a lot more. You can just... relax. Go read a book, square."  
And then, there it is - not a smirk, but a genuine smile. It's small, of course, just his lips turned slightly up at the corners, but his eyes sparkle, and Erwin feels himself becoming strangely warm.

He smiles back, and leaves him to his work.

Perhaps the boat trip won't be so bad at all.

  
He studies the map eagerly, well into the middle of the night. Erwin's glasses begin to pinch a little, so he decides to try and get some sleep. Tomorrow, he has something he wants to ask Levi, and if he gets the answer he's looking for, it will involve physical activity.

Being skinny and tall, made for an awkward, clumsy child. He'd only bulked out a bit because of his work, and it was only occasionally that he did anything physical.   
Erwin had never learnt how to properly defend himself, and if what Levi says is true, then going to Hamunaptra will almost certainly be the cause of his death. He needs to learn how to fight, just so that he can explore a little more than he would have been able to in his current state.   
And naturally, Levi is the only person he can ask. Not only is he clearly very fit and strong, but he's also experienced it before, and so should have an idea of what sort of skills are useful there. Maybe he'd even teach him how to shoot a gun.

Erwin changes into his pyjamas, folding away his day clothes and slotting them neatly into his trunk. He feels like today has been very successful. It's been a few days since he first met Levi, and he had worried that he wouldn't be able to form any sort of relationship with him - not even because he thinks he's attractive, but because they're going to have to work together and it will be easier if they're friends. But now it seems like Levi is slowly warming to him, which is a very pleasant idea indeed.

He lies in the bottom bunk, wondering whether Levi will ever come to bed, and if he wears child sized pyjamas.

Unfortunately, he doesn't get much longer to think about that rather amusing image, because there are heavy, creaking footsteps outside the room. Immediately he worries, because those footsteps don't sound like Levi's.   
The door bursts open, and there's a man, draped in black, and a knife in his hand.

A worryingly sharp-looking knife.

Erwin jumps out of bed, narrowly missing the wood of the top bunk, and he scrambles to grab the map.

"What do you want?" he demands, although the man pays his words no heed, instead lunging forwards to try and grab the map, and the puzzle box that held it.

Using his weight, Erwin pushes the man onto the floor, retrieving the map from his hands, and the box from the floor. He sees Levi, eyes wide and cheeks a pretty shade of pink, stood in the doorway.

"I think there's more of them, on the boat." Levi says, shifting his gaze to the man who still lies on the floor. "I was coming to check on you, there were wet footprints leading to the room."

Before Erwin can respond, the man on the floor leaps up and tries to tackle him from behind. Levi is too quick for him, and shoots him right between the eyes. Unfortunately, the man's body falls straight into the table, knocking the still-lit candle over. Immediately, the room is ablaze, and Levi grabs Erwin's wrist to pull him away.

They run, heading straight into Hange.

"What's going on? I was wiping the floor with those men in a poker game, next thing I know there's men wearing black, wielding knives and swords and guns!" she says, looking very put-out. "Is this your fault, Levi?"

"No." he says, grabbing onto her as well. "They're after the map and the box. I think they know what the map is, and there must be something special about the box too."

"I said it looked like a key!" Hange says, excitedly. "Maybe that's what it is, and they need it to open something in Hamunaptra!"

"Perhaps it's the way to get in, some sort of gate or--"

"No gates, no nothing. You'll know what I mean when we get there, but for now, just keep hold of it all, and follow me. We're gonna swim, to that side of the river." Levi says, interrupting Erwin.

It's obvious that getting out of the boat is the best option they have, considering the fire has spread very quickly from their room to the rest of them, but Erwin doesn't want to leave all of his things just to burn. He didn't bring anything that isn't easily replaced, but still. It's the principle of it.

Levi takes them right to the edge of the boat, and dives into the water, just as other people are doing. The fire is almost right behind them, Erwin can feel the heat of it on his back. He turns to look at Hange, who is already clambering over the side to slide into the water, and he makes a decision - he must jump in.

  
The water is warm, and pleasantly clean. He swims until he can stand, and then he tries as hard as he can to push himself towards Levi and Hange. The water makes him feel sleepy, so it's difficult to carry on forward.   
Eventually, he gets there, and sits down next to the others.

"The map is ruined." he states, pulling the soggy piece of paper out of his pocket.

"You still have the box, though, right?" Levi asks, pulling off his drenched shirt to reveal his pale chest. It glistens in the moonlight, and if he wasn't so traumatised, Erwin would most likely be very aroused.

"Yes, I do." he replies, pulling it from his other pocket. Levi takes it and puts it in the small bag attached to his hip. It seems to hold a couple of guns and perhaps a knife, although it's very dark out, and Erwin can't quite see it properly.

"Well, that was certainly an eventful evening." Hange remarks, twisting her hair to squeeze out the water. "I thought that perhaps we might just have one normal day, but it seems we can't even do that."

Erwin smiles dryly at her, before he hears shouting from across the river.

"Hey, Levi!" someone calls. He squints, and recognises him as the man from earlier, Eren.

Levi stands and stomps all the way to the water's edge, as though he wants to hear the taunts clearly.

"Guess where your guns ended up?" Eren continues, brandishing two large rifles.

"Hey, Eren!" Levi responds. "Guess who's on the wrong side of the river?"

Eren's eyes widen for a second, and he kicks the sand angrily before motioning to the other people he's with.

  
After a few hours of walking, not only does the sun rise, but they find a town, with a place for them to rest for a little while, and somewhere they can buy camels and other provisions.   
Erwin is thankful he always keeps money in very unconventional places.

They set off slowly, following Levi as he claims he remembers the way.

"So, who do you think the men in black were on the boat?" Erwin asks, petting his camel as they plod along.

"I'm not sure... When I was here last, I think I saw them. There were these cliffs, and... In the distance, I could make out little black dots." Levi says. It's clear he doesn't remember much about that time, except for the horrors he saw. "I think they were watching me."

"Maybe they're guarding it, then. Keeping the world safe from what's inside. Or perhaps... They're the cause of all the horrible creatures there." Hange suggests. Neither sounds particularly good, so Erwin elects to ride on in silence, left alone to his own thoughts.

It's about half a day before Levi speaks again.

"So, uh... Smith... Do you know how to fight? To use a weapon?" he asks.

Erwin had truthfully been falling asleep, so he's a little sluggish in his reply.   
"No, I don't. In fact...", he yawns loudly, "If the boat hadn't been set on fire, I would have asked you to teach me today. I don't want to go unprepared."

Levi nods to himself, and carries on in silence.

How strange, Erwin thinks. If Hamunaptra is truly as bad as he says it is, then why would he not demand they stop now and learn how to defend themselves right now. In fact, why hadn't he suggested it before?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What's this?" he asks, sleepily.
> 
> "Tools." Levi answers. "Yours got left behind on the boat, so I found--"
> 
> "Stole." Erwin corrects, knowing that there's only one place the tools could have come from.
> 
> "So I stole these for you." There's a hint of a smile on Levi's face, and that's enough for Erwin to be able to sleep peacefully.
> 
> "Thank you, Levi. And goodnight. Make sure you get some rest," he yawns, "we've got a busy day tomorrow."
> 
> "I will. Goodnight, Erwin."

"I know how to fight." Hange pipes up, and Erwin nods. They've gotten into enough scrapes together for him to know that she is very capable, far more than he is.

"I have a feeling that you and Hange would probably be quite evenly matched." he says, looking towards Levi, who doesn't seem to notice that anyone's talking to him. In fact, he seems quite angry, his grey eyes are narrowed and his frown seems deeper than usual.

Before Erwin can say anything to him, Levi's head jerks to the side, and his camel picks up speed as he smacks it lightly on the back.

"We've got company." he says, his voice gruff with obvious anger.

Erwin looks around. Even through the blinding white sun and sand, he can see a group on horseback, and a man in front on a camel. He counts about nine of them, four white men, and four Egyptians, led by the man from yesterday, Eren.

"If we don't get there before them, they'll mess things up for all of us." Levi explains, his hand still moving to try and move his camel on faster.

Hange races out in front, whooping and yelling like some sort of mad person. It makes sense that she'd be good with camels, because Hange is one of those people with talents that have no apparent reason or necessity. She seems to do a good job of scaring the other group's horses, as they slow down slightly. Erwin wonders if she's ever needed to do something like this before.

The saddle of the camel Erwin is on is less than comfortable, and he restrains from going too fast because he's fairly certain he'll end up injuring himself in some way. However, he does try as hard as he can to at least keep up with Levi, just so he can see the beautiful, victorious look on his face as they reach Hamunaptra first.

And it is stunning.

Genuine pride shines in those silver eyes, his smile radiates happiness like he's never shown before. Levi is truly beautiful, and Erwin feels a strange warmth growing in his chest.

He's soon distracted by the view in front of them, though.

The sand seems to shimmer and shift in the setting sun, and Erwin thinks perhaps for a moment it's some sort of mirage caused by a lack of water and excess sun. But it's not, it's real, and they're so very close. Closer than the others, at least.

Hamunaptra finally reveals itself, a grand city built of stone and sand. It seems hazy from this distance, like some sort of dream, but Erwin is certain it's real. It has to be real, they've come too far for it to be anything else.

As he and Levi finally catch up to Hange, Erwin feels that warmth again, only this time it's for a reason he can name. He's finally done it, just as his father would have done had he had this amazing opportunity.

Erwin has found Hamunaptra.

\--

They don't really make a camp. It's more of a campfire and some rags on the floor, but Erwin doesn't mind, being absolutely exhausted from two very long days.

He's a little suspicious of the shadows that seem to creep around the pillars of stone. First of all, because he thinks it might be the others plotting their deaths, and then, after he realises there are only nine other people in the city, but many more shadows, he thinks it might be the creatures Levi spoke of.

At least Hange doesn't seem concerned. She's fast asleep, without a care in the world. She hasn't even bothered to change out of what she was wearing, simply just flopping onto the bundle of fabric that just about passes for a bed.

Looking around the place from where he's sat, vast sandy structures punctuating the glittering sky, intricate carvings and statues honouring gods from another time, Erwin wishes that his father could see it all. It's beautiful. However much he misses his father, though, Erwin reminds himself that he's fulfilled his dream, and that's all he can do to remember him.

He's just about to lie down and attempt to sleep when Levi finally returns from 'negotiations' with the other group.

As usual, Levi's face is drawn into a very frustrated expression, and Erwin wonders if they'll have to leave. He rather hopes not, considering that they've just arrived.

"You should be asleep." Levi says, sitting down next to Erwin. The size difference between them is incredibly noticeable now, and it takes a lot of restraint not to pull Levi into his arms and try and protect him from the world.

Not to mention that if either of them would be protecting the other, it most certainly wouldn't be Erwin.

"I can't sleep. I'm worried about the shadows." he mumbles. He pulls his legs towards his chest and rests his chin on his knees.

Levi looks at him sadly, before nodding. "Tomorrow, before we go exploring or whatever it is you wanna do, I'll show you how to at least throw a punch." he promises, patting his shoulder quite roughly.

Erwin almost lies down again when a brown leather package is thrust into his face.

"What's this?" he asks, sleepily.

"Tools." Levi answers. "Yours got left behind on the boat, so I found--"

"Stole." Erwin corrects, knowing that there's only one place the tools could have come from.

"So I stole these for you." There's a hint of a smile on Levi's face, and that's enough for Erwin to be able to sleep peacefully.

"Thank you, Levi. And goodnight. Make sure you get some rest," he yawns, "we've got a busy day tomorrow."

"I will. Goodnight, Erwin."

\--

That morning, he is woken by bright sunlight blasting through his eyelids, and the rough feeling of sand in unspeakable places.

Erwin stretches, arms and legs too long and gangly to do so without hitting someone. Hange happens to be in the way this time, waking with a yelp.

An apology follows, and soon Erwin has sat up properly, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Hamunaptra seems a little less grand during the day, but also a little less scary. Erwin thinks it's just as well people sleep during the night, as he's not sure he'd be able to carry out any sort of exploration in the dark.

"Where's Levi?" he asks, noting the absence around their fire.

Hange shrugs, flopping back to sleep with ease. If only Erwin had the luxury of more sleep.

He doesn't even have a way to check that his hair hasn't decided to stick up during the course of the night, so instead he just runs his fingers through it and hopes for the best. The wrinkles on his clothes aren't even worth the stress, he decides, smoothing himself down.   
  
Finally, he feels fit to face the world, and find Levi. Erwin takes the leather wrap of tools just to be on the safe side. He's fairly certain that some of the equipment found in it could make for very dangerous weapons if he were to wield them correctly.

\--

He wanders through sand and stone and the smell of ancient musk and long-ago death.

Hamunaptra didn't acquire its nickname for no reason, it seems.

There's a large building in the centre, a step pyramid like the ziggurats of Mesopotamia, two large statues guarding it on either side. One is Horus, his falcon head faded from what would have been various precious stones to just plain rocks and dust. The other is Anubis, a large gash in his jackal face, stone crumbling like a tear in fabric.

Erwin moves to inspect the base of each statue, fingers gently brushing across the stone there. Sand and pebbles are what he finds, no less, no more. He's not sure what he was expecting, some sort of magical lock or opening, perhaps a secret entrance to a tomb below. However, as thoroughly as Erwin inspects the base, he finds nothing.

"I didn't peg you as _that_ desperate, Smith."

"Pardon?" he asks, whipping round to see that Levi has exited the pyramid.

"Never mind." Levi continues promptly, a smirk on his face. "So, I made a deal with those assholes in there. We get the bottom levels, which is where all your weirdo mummy stuff is gonna be. Top deck's treasure and shit, right? 'Cause that's what they got."

Erwin beams from ear to ear, or at least he feels as though he is. "Yes, it is! Thank you, Levi."

There's something inside him that suggests perhaps Levi is only trying to be helpful so that he can get the job over and done with, and not because he actually cares. That something is ignored by Erwin, he'd like to hope that Levi has warmed up to him.

"I'll go get Hange, you wait here." Levi begins to walk off, but Erwin stops him with a firm hand on the shoulder.

"Levi, wait--"

"What?" His eyes look hopeful, as though he's expecting something.

"Last night, you promised to teach me how to fight before we went exploring... Could you?"

"Now?"

Erwin nods. "I don't want to go down to the lower levels of what could be potentially the most dangerous place on Earth without the ability to defend myself."

Levi looks slightly uncomfortable, but he agrees all the same. "'Course... Okay, let's move somewhere a little less... near the others. I don't want them knowing you're useless."

He's lead towards the far side of the pyramid, where there's a small clearing in the buildings. Levi's grip on his arm is far too rough to be romantic, but Erwin can always hope for more. Hope is what has led him all this way, after all, from a small child in Cairo to a man in Hamunaptra itself.

"About these creatures you saw... Now, Levi, I know you might not want to discuss it because they're traumatic memories, however, I believe it would be useful for me to know what exactly I might have to be up against." Erwin says. "Please, could you at least give me a small hint as to what there might be?"

There's a huff, and then Levi speaks. "You wouldn't believe me."

"I've believed everything you've said so far, I have no reason to doubt you now." Erwin replies, honestly. He does trust Levi, as he has been the key to finding this place.

"There are corpses down there. And they're walking around, guarding something." Levi admits, finally. "And the sand here, it didn't want me anywhere near the pyramid when I came here alone. I think whatever's down there has a thing about Americans." he laughs, roughly. "Those guys in there, they've had problem after problem, apparently even their Egyptologist wants to leave."

Erwin stares at Levi, unafraid. "What do I need to know, then? Teach me how to fight."

  
His knuckles are sore, and his shoulders and chest are most likely covered in bruises. Levi hadn't held back whilst practicing with him, not at all. In fact, Erwin is almost completely certain that he'd taken out all of his anger on him. But he doesn't mind, because it means that he'll have a clear head when they begin investigating.

"You've got stamina, that's good. You're gonna need it when we go down there." Levi says, unwrapping the strips of fabric he'd torn from his shirt to bind his fingers with.

Erwin stares at the long stretch of Levi's slightly crooked nose, the fullness of his lips - just a tad too small for his face, and his eyes, though a beautiful shade of grey, they're too thin and the dark circles below them make it seem as though he hasn't slept in years.   
However much his features aren't quite right, all together they make a work of art, one which Erwin so deeply wants to kiss and caress.

Levi seems to notice his staring, and turns away.

"Erwin, before we go down there... There's something I wanted to ask you."

Oh, the questions he could ask.

"Yes? Ask away." Erwin offers a small smile, nervous to the pit of his stomach.

"Do you trust me?" Levi's expression is one of real worry, as though his life depends on whether or not Erwin trusts him.

He nods, slowly. "I trust you to do what is right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i want to die lol


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I think that, if Hange's theory is correct, the walking corpses you've spoken about are guardians for the beast in the drawings." Erwin says.
> 
> "Protecting the beast from us?" she replies, frowning a little.
> 
> Levi shakes his head. "No. I think they're protecting us from the beast."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mild violence in this one, nothing too bad but tw for cuts and blood.

Levi refused to let Erwin carry a gun, on the basis that he'd never be able to teach him how to aim one properly in the short time that they had. Hange, however, was allowed, something that he felt somewhat put out about. Of course, it had nothing to do with whether she was capable or not - Erwin knows she is - instead, it has everything to do with the fact that Levi doesn't seem to think he's capable of doing anything. As Erwin has previously thought, it seems that out of the two of them, Levi is the protector and he is the protected.

They walked through the narrow sandstone corridors in single file, Levi in front and Hange at the back. Both seem to have taken on the role of Erwin's bodyguards, something he's not sure he likes. Levi had made it clear that Erwin should try and follow his tracks to make sure that he didn't step on anything dangerous. It seems even someone like Levi knows about the traps that the Ancient Egyptians liked to put in tombs. However, this is rather hard, for two reasons. First of all, Levi is walking rather slowly and his short legs mean that Erwin has this constant urge to overtake. Secondly, his shoe prints are rather small, which means that if there is some sort of ground-activated trap, Erwin might well set it off on account of his huge feet.

In order to make up for the fact he wants to walk very quickly, Erwin spends a lot of time stopping and staring at the decorations on the walls. This is actually a positive, he quickly comes to realise, as the art is unlike anything he's ever seen before.It depicts a beast-like man, eating people, before being ceremoniously buried alive. He's never seen such a horrible story being drawn so nearby to someone's sarcophagus. Assuming there are sarcophagi here, of course. It would be logical, given what Levi said about the walking corpses. They would have had to have come from somewhere, after all.

He takes a moment to look around, see if he can find any trace of hidden doors to the main room, or anything like that.

Erwin can't see anything, but he can smell it. The scent is hot and humid, like dried-out paper and salt. And it's not just that, there's something else, something... more animal. Erwin wonders if the same power that gives the foot-soldier corpses life also gives life to the beast buried here.   
He also wonders whether Levi knows about it, whether he is prepared to fight what potentially could be a giant animal-man hybrid.

"Levi? Hange? Have you been looking at the walls?" he asks, almost worriedly.

"Nah... Too busy looking out for mummies." Levi snarks, before stopping and turning towards him. "What's the matter? Somethin' weird about them?"

Erwin nods. "I've never seen such horrible things on a wall so close to a sarcophagus. The Egyptians believed very much in protecting the dead, in keeping them safe for the afterlife. Usually, the drawings would be of the dead with their families or servants. Not... Not of them eating people and being buried alive. It's almost like this is a criminal's grave, though... Well, they weren't usually buried like this."

  
"Maybe this person did something really bad. Maybe it was bad enough to warrant imprisonment?" Hange suggests. "Perhaps all of this was to keep them in there, stop them from gaining access to the afterlife?"

"So, you're saying that whatever's down there is pretty fuckin' evil. I don't know as much about all this stuff as you two, but I know the Egyptians were pretty hung up on burying people nicely." Levi says. He puts his gun back in its holster on his hip, and this draws Erwin's attention to just how pale he seems in the light of the torch. He's still tanned, given the fact he's been in Egypt for a while now, but he's still a lot lighter than both Erwin and Hange. There's something about his paleness that makes him look almost delicate. 

That thought almost immediately disappears when Levi draws out an even bigger gun from the bag on his back.

Yes, he is most certainly the protector.

"I think that, if Hange's theory is correct, the walking corpses you've spoken about are guardians for the beast in the drawings." Erwin says.

"Protecting the beast from us?" she replies, frowning a little.

Levi shakes his head. "No. I think they're protecting us from the beast."

\--

The lower levels are darker still, and the stench grows even stronger. Erwin's nose begins to hurt, and the discomfort on his face must be obvious because Levi takes the scarf from around his own neck and hands it to him.

"Here. You look like you need this more than I do." he says.

Erwin is grateful for the lack of light, as he is certain that his cheeks are flushed slightly.

He smiles slightly. "Thank you." He ties it around his face, covering his nose. It smells of Levi, like sweat and softness and cigarettes. It smells like perfection.

"You look so silly, Erwin." Hange laughs, "Like you're about to clean a room."

"Well, if I was an American, I would be cleaning the tomb room - of its treasure." Erwin only realises after the fact that Levi is an American himself. "No offence, Levi."

"None taken." he replies, gruffly. "You couldn't pay me to take any of that shit. It's probably haunted."

They finally stumble across the main entrance a few moments later. It's deep within the huge temple, and all Erwin can hear is the ebb and flow of the wind, and what sounds like trains passing by. It can't be though, it must just be his mind playing tricks on him.

The door is tall, rectangular in shape but with a rounded top. It's made of sand, he thinks, or at least stone covered in it. The dusty colouring of it does not take away from its grandeur, as it's covered in intricate carvings that show grey-coloured soldiers defending a tomb from people of all colours. The art is astounding, some of the most detailed work he's ever seen in an Egyptian piece. Each of the grey soldiers has their own unique look, each carries a different weapon and wears a different helmet. He suspects that this might show they are all of different ranks and affiliations within the government or army, all united by one cause - to keep people away from here.

As much as he would like to take notice of it, Erwin finds his curiosity is too strong to ignore. He feels as though he must go through the door, and find out what's inside. It could give the Western world a far greater understanding of the politics and traditions of the Ancient Egyptians.

He stares at the door, trying to notice if there is anything else that's worth taking note of. There are hieroglyphs along the bottom of the door, which is admittedly unusual to see, but not anything completely out of the ordinary.

Still, he kneels down, causing Levi to rush to his side in case he sets off a trap or something similar, and begins to read.

" _Neb nety ak keres em shay. Nekh mewhet kekeway kheti_." he reads, slowly. "It says that all who enter will be buried in the sand, and to save your family from darkness, you should retreat."

"Very welcoming." Levi drawls. He offers a hand to Erwin, to help him up.

His hand is solid and warm. The pads of his fingers are calloused, and his knuckles have the silver shine of long-faded scars. After he's stood up, Erwin lets go of his hand a moment too late.

Neither of them seems to mind.

"Does it say anything about what is in there?" Hange asks. She seems excited to get in there, and Erwin only feels his intrigue growing. It seems almost infectious, that he should want to go inside.

Erwin shakes his head. "Not that I can see."

"Levi, would you perhaps open the door? You seem to have the most experience here, so I trust you won't kill us." he adds, with a friendly smile.

Levi smirks at him. He keeps the gun in his hand close to his chest as he forces the door open.

The cloud of dust that's released by that action temporarily blinds them all for a moment or two, though both Levi and Hange seem to be able to sense the movement coming from within. They shoot, and the gunshots ring in his ears.

Once everything settles down, Erwin can finally see what the others have been shooting at.

The pictures on the wall were accurate to a certain extent, capturing the colour and the differences between each undead soldier, but they are far more horrifying in reality. Each creature seems to be semi-decomposed, which makes really no sense as the embalming process should have dried them out to the point that they wouldn't look so wet and slimy. Erwin doesn't have time to really think about it, though, as the walking corpses begin to advance.

" _Kheti, kheti!_ " they chant, their voices shrieking and whistling like the wind. He's certain he can hear them inside his head, their voices piercing his soul.

Levi carries on shooting, though at least now he has a clear shot at each of them. Hange is busy reloading, and Erwin attempts to protect her from the creatures that swarm around her.

One, for example, had already been shot, but not destroyed, its leg dragging behind it. It swings its sword at him, thin, sinewy arm flicking sand as the bandages flail from the action. He grabs hold of the creature's arm, and pulls it, using his body weight to yank it clean off. The sword clatters to the ground, and the thud of old flesh quickly follows. In the dim torchlight, Erwin is sure he can see a reddish layer on the edge of the blade, but he hasn't been cut, has he?

It's only once the thought enters his mind that the sting of the cut sets in. He looks down at his arm and sees a small gash across his forearm. It's no matter, the adrenaline stops it from being too painful.

He notices the corpse he'd attacked is moving even closer, to try and reach the sword with its other arm, so he quickly punches its weakened skull. It shatters, crumbling into its slack jaw. Finally, the creature drops to its knees and separates, and Erwin feels a wave of almost pride for being able to do that. Even if he did get injured, it's still a small victory, and Hange has one less creature to worry about.

\---

"You did good." Levi says, softly.

They're all very tired from the eventful day they've had. They'd cleared the room of the corpses, and set to work trying to find the entrance to the inner chambers.

Eventually, of course, they'd been too tired to continue so had agreed to head back up to the surface and rest. It was nearly 11 pm by the time that had happened.

Hange, as she had the previous night, had fallen asleep straight away.

Erwin, on the other hand, struggled to stop replaying what he'd done today, how brave he'd been in defending both himself and his closest friends. Yes, he does count Levi as a friend, even if their initial reason for meeting was less than pleasant.

"Thank you." he replies. "And thank you for giving me those skills. Without your lesson this morning, I'm not certain I would have been so brave."

Levi looks up at him, dark lashes framing silver eyes. He closes them slowly and sighs. Something is on his mind.

"What's the matter? If you need to sleep, I can move up." Erwin says, noting how close they are. Perhaps it's off-putting, perhaps it's unnerving.

He shakes his head. "No, thanks. I just..."

Erwin listens intently, waiting for Levi to carry on of his own accord.

He shakes his head again, opening his eyes. "So what brings a guy like you to a place like this, anyway? I can understand Hange wanting to come here, I feel like she's gonna take a few trinkets back, and I know why I'm here. But you? I don't get."

Erwin smiles deeply, before lying on his back. He sighs loudly. "My father was a British explorer. He came to Egypt in search of this place, to prove it existed and also to find out why. He never made it, instead, he fell in love with an Egyptian lady, my mother, Ana."

"You don't look Egyptian..." Levi says, joining Erwin on the floor. He lays on his side, his face almost a little too close to be just casual. "You've got blonde hair and blue eyes."

"My mother had deep blue eyes, like the waters of the Nile." Erwin says, quietly. "Or so my father used to tell me. I think it's just a genetic quirk, like how Hange can bend her fingers back without pain. Besides, you don't look very American." he teases.

Levi smirks a little. "I look like my mother. She was obviously a lot prettier than I am, but aside from that, I'm practically identical to her."

Without thinking, Erwin speaks. "I think you're very pretty." he blurts out.

"Weirdo." Levi replies, after a moment of silence. But that small smile doesn't leave his face, even as he rolls onto his back.

"Goodnight, Levi." he tries, a few moments later.

"Goodnight Erwin." Levi replies, softly. "And for what it's worth, you're not so bad yourself."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hurrah for major canon divergence!! (and my inability to check my spellings and shit lol)
> 
> also quick disclaimer - i have never ever needed to study any sort of ancient egyptian, so the words i used in this were taken from a very bad dictionary online. i doubt anyone reading this would be able to help me out, but if by some miracle one of you knows ancient egyptian, pls can you correct what i've written?? thanks!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin had been a little too drowsy to begin with, but now he realises he must be practising his combat skills before they head further into the temple; which begs the question of whether or not Levi ever sleeps. The dark circles that seem ever present below his eyes suggest that perhaps he doesn't.
> 
> He slowly moves to sit up, head pounding and body still tired - he slept but it certainly wasn't restful - before setting his chin on his bent knees.
> 
> "I can see you watching me." Levi says, lowly. He stops his movements, and turns to look directly at him. "And before you ask, no. I won't teach you to fight like this."
> 
> "Where did you learn?" Erwin asks, hoping that the answer can remove the impossible thought that's already wormed its way into his mind, that Levi might have learnt in a past life.
> 
> "My-- My uncle." Levi sounds unsure, but also rather annoyed by the topic, so Erwin says no more about it. Instead, he stands and joins him.
> 
> Heart thumping in his chest, he presses his hand on Levi's shoulder. "I had a dream about you last night."
> 
> "Uh, yeah, okay. Smith, if people hear, they might think--" Levi shifts out of his grip, eyes darting around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've updated the tags... im sorry to everyone who hates the sequel to the mummy but i love it lol. the only one i cant stand is the third one, bc rachel weisz isn't in it haha.

Erwin doesn't say anything in return, he's slightly too stunned to form any coherent ideas, let alone coherent sentences.

However, Levi doesn't seem upset by that. His eyes close, and he reaches out for Erwin's thin blanket, pulling it over them both.

There's a sort of change in the air, Erwin thinks. It feels like everything's buzzing, even right down to how his heart jolts every time he hears Levi so much as breathe that night.

He struggles to get to sleep. Not just because he's fascinated by how peaceful Levi looks whilst asleep, but also because he can't stop thinking about what they'd achieved that day, and what potentially lies ahead of them. Erwin's go-to is always making plans and schemes, trying to keep one step ahead of whatever it is that he's investigating.

The one thought he keeps coming back to is that perhaps they were wrong to have killed all of the soldiers. Surely they served a purpose? Perhaps, as Levi stated earlier, they were there to protect humanity from the beast in the tomb. Whatever is in there might wind up being released, and that would mean they were responsible for the possible destruction of the world. Of course, Erwin doesn't believe for a second that there is anything that powerful down there. He generally only believes in things that can be proven easily, unless they happen to be theories that his dad created. And a supernatural beast with the ability to eat people is something he doesn't necessarily believe in. Of course, those soldiers were things he would never have believed in before, so there is always room to be proven wrong.

He sighs to himself, before finally drifting off to a fitful sleep.

  
Small hands, chubby arms and legs... He's a boy again. Erwin doesn't recognise where he is, though. The room is too plain for Egyptian architecture, however, so he is certain that this is not a current memory of any sort. It is a large room, light and airy even in the oppressive heat. He wonders if this is based on a real place, or if it's just his imagination, as it begins to seem more familiar to him the more he looks around.

Erwin looks down at his body, he's not wearing anything recognisable either. It's a white tunic, and while he thinks it looks almost Greek in design, he's not sure why he's wearing it. This is definitely not a memory either, he's never ever worn an Ancient Greek tunic in his life, nor has he sat on a throne. While the white marble is cool to the touch, a nice sensation in such a hot place, he doesn't recognise the feeling. But again, the more he stays here, the more he thinks maybe this a memory of some sort.

Breaking the silence, the large doors at the other end of the room open, and a group of men enter, splitting into two sections to hold the doors open. Their leader is tall, dark and terrifying. His face is lined and almost familiar, grey eyes staring unnervingly at him.

"You are ready to see him?" he asks, in what could be broken English, however his dream is so hazy he's not sure what language any of this is.

Erwin just nods, and watches as the man bows. He's sure he knows him, but he's just as sure he's never met him.

The man disappears out of the door, before reappearing behind a small boy. This boy seems to be about Erwin's age, wearing a typical skirt for Egyptian boys, along with some golden jewellery that compliments the tone of his skin. His hair is also in a traditional Egyptian style, all shaved except for a lock of hair on the right side of his head. It's only when he scowls that Erwin recognises him.

Levi.

"I shall leave him here." the man says, exiting swiftly along with his men, leaving Erwin and Levi alone.

He seems slightly afraid, there's something in those silver eyes that worries Erwin. Another thing that worries him is the presence of a tattoo on his wrist. Is his dream trying to suggest that Levi was abused as a child? Surely not!

"Who-- Who are you?" Erwin asks, almost self-conscious as he realises that his voice is as childlike as his body. He asks the question because he has had many dreams before of people he seemingly knows, only to realise they are playing another role than the one they play in waking life.

"I am your guard." Levi replies, bowing deeply and holding his wrist in front of his head so the tattoo is clearly visible to him.

It seems to be an eye, the Eye of Horus, perhaps. It's a symbol that means protection, so rather fitting if this version of Levi is to be his guard, as he is in reality.

"And your name?" he asks, even more curious now.

Levi stands, hands held behind his back. "You may call me Levi."

Before Erwin has the chance to ask any more questions, their meeting is interrupted by someone opening the doors, looking visibly upset.

"He's here again! You must leave now!"

Erwin wakes in a cold sweat.

\---

Levi seems to dance in the sunrise. His skin glimmers with faint reflections, his arms and legs moving swiftly in some sort of practised fighting technique. Erwin admires the sheer strength required to hold each position and move between them. Each time he changes the pose, another part of his poorly illuminated body seems to come alive, and his eyes glitter as though he truly enjoys what he's doing.

Erwin had been a little too drowsy to begin with, but now he realises he must be practising his combat skills before they head further into the temple; which begs the question of whether or not Levi ever sleeps. The dark circles that seem ever present below his eyes suggest that perhaps he doesn't.

He slowly moves to sit up, head pounding and body still tired - he slept but it certainly wasn't restful - before setting his chin on his bent knees.

"I can see you watching me." Levi says, lowly. He stops his movements, and turns to look directly at him. "And before you ask, no. I won't teach you to fight like this."

"Where did you learn?" Erwin asks, hoping that the answer can remove the impossible thought that's already wormed its way into his mind, that Levi might have learnt in a past life.

"My-- My uncle." Levi sounds unsure, but also rather annoyed by the topic, so Erwin says no more about it. Instead, he stands and joins him.

Heart thumping in his chest, he presses his hand on Levi's shoulder. "I had a dream about you last night."

"Uh, yeah, okay. Smith, if people hear, they might think--" Levi shifts out of his grip, eyes darting around.

"Not that, it's not like that." Erwin quickly says, knowing full well that he has probably scared him, made it seem as though his dream was of a less than appropriate nature. "We were boys, together, in ancient times. I was a Greek prince, and you were my guard. You were an Egyptian boy, a servant or something. I asked who you were, and you said that I could call you Levi, that you were my guard. And then you bowed to me, with your wrist bared so I could see this tattoo... it was the Eye of Horus, I think."

Levi snorts, before shaking his head. "I don't believe this." His right hand moves to his left wrist, peeling off the bandage that Erwin had never noticed before, mostly because he'd never had any need to. But now, his breath hitches as it's removed.

Faded ink stains the porcelain of Levi's wrist, a familiar shape to them both.

"I was in an orphanage for a while, from when I turned 8 to about the age of 12. They gave me this there, I don't remember why or how or who. All I know is that I've always hated it." he explains.

"Why were you in an orphanage?" Erwin asks. "I thought you mentioned your mother--"

"She passed away when I was a kid. My uncle was my guardian, so he just took me with him... We went everywhere, and I saw everything. All those deals he made, all those people he killed... He said he was doing it for me. To make me a man. But then the past caught up with him, and I was on my own. I was so scared, and when they found me, I-- I was grateful to them. But I never asked any questions." Levi seems to be almost anxious whilst talking, so Erwin smiles at him, attempting to be comforting.

"Don't worry about it. Truth be told, I probably never would have believed in all this if we hadn't made it to a city that doesn't exist, and fought impossible creatures that seem to be guarding someone or something that can bring about the end of the world." Erwin says, fingers shyly brushing against the soft skin on display.

Levi places his hand over Erwin's, trapping it there. He looks at him from under dark lashes, and smiles softly. "Well, when you put it like that... I guess us knowing each other in some freak-show past life isn't so unrealistic."

He pats his hand a couple of times before releasing it, and walking over to wake Hange. The sun is about to rise, and it's an unspoken agreement that it would be preferable to enter the tomb before the Americans decide they'd also like to have a look around. Erwin doesn't necessarily trust that they will keep to the promise they made with Levi.

"Come on, we have places to go, mummies to kill." Levi grumbles when Hange doesn't respond to the first few prods.

"And don't forget - new information to discover." Erwin adds, certain that if any words will wake her up, it's those concerning new knowledge for her to absorb.

She does just as expected. "What's that about discovering things?" she smiles, almost dazedly sitting up.

Levi offers her a hand, which she accepts.

"I'm not sure what to expect down there, but we need to be on high alert. If anything happened to you-- you two," Levi tacks on, rubbing the site of his tattoo, "I'm not sure I'd be able to get over it... For a few weeks at least." The slight hint of a smirk only makes Erwin feel warm inside, appreciating some light hearted teasing from such a sweet looking man.

\--

The tomb itself is large, mostly empty aside from the large sarcophagus in the centre.

"Are you sure you want to open that with your bare hands?" Levi asks, as Erwin runs his palms along the cool stone of the top.

"It's peculiar." he mumbles to himself, having not heard what Levi said. "Usually sarcophagi are designed to stay above ground. Then again, this whole place is designed... incorrectly. Multiple burials, a tomb for a monster, and a large statue in the centre of the room above us."

"You know, I heard that the Egyptian men with your fellow Yanks got burned with some sort of pressurised gas from the boxes upstairs. The treasure stored there is obviously something the Ancient Egyptians wanted to keep safe." Hange says. She's managed to attach herself to the ceiling with some ropes, whilst reading the hieroglyphs that are located on the walls.

Levi looks up at her. "Exactly. I'm not sure I want Erwin being killed by some booby trap--"

The sound of stone being pulled across stone interrupts him, and a loud thud, which causes Levi to groan in frustration.

"What did I say, Smith?" he asks, turning to face his way again. "Don't open it--"

"It's empty." Erwin says, shocked. "It's completely empty. But why?"

Hange releases herself and lands with a similar thud to the lid of the sarcophagus. "The Ancient Egyptians were clever."

"Yes, indeed. They most likely anticipated someone would be stupid, or brave enough, to come here and find it. Instead of leaving the monster vulnerable to whoever finds it, they've stored the body somewhere else." Erwin concurs.

Levi sits down on the lid of the sarcophagus, resting his chin in his hands. "So, what now? We just look around, and then have those guys gloat at us when we come back up empty handed?"  
He's clearly upset about that, perhaps wanting to compete with his countrymen in some way.

"And look at them with all of their ridiculous treasure? Not a chance. No, I have a theory I'd like to test out." Erwin says, smiling at them both.

Hange sighs, and murmurs something along the lines of "Here we go again" under her breath.

"Yesterday, before you taught me how to fight, I was inspecting the statues at the front of the temple, right?" Erwin says to Levi. He knows his eyes are wide, and he's certain he looks quite manic in his zeal. It matters not, though. Erwin's primary goal is to find out as much as he can about this place, to make himself sure that he has fulfilled his father's wishes as much as possible.

Levi looks at him suspiciously, before nodding.

"Well, I initially thought that the base might have held some sort of secret passage, or perhaps a compartment. I realise now there is nothing on the top, but perhaps if we work from underneath, we might be able to find something from the statue upstairs. If we use a combination of ropes and the height of the sarcophagus to give us some leverage, perhaps we can--"

"I'm about half your size, Erwin. I'm gonna sit this one out, I think." Levi says. He heads over to the side of the room that Hange had been on and begins investigating further, probably for treasure or something.

Hange doesn't want to help him either, it seems, instead joining Levi and trying to teach him what each symbol represents.

If you want something done properly, Erwin thinks, you should do it yourself.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> does this make sense?? chronic pain rn im dead... sorry if this chapter is a mess.  
> also if each chapter is about 2000 words, i'm thinking this might be about 10 chapters or so. *cries* i hate myself for starting this lol


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